Apparatus for distributing insecticides or pollen



-' Oct. 9, 1951 r R. E. BLAIR 5 5 APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING INSECTICIDES 0R POLLEN Filed May 22, 1946 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7W1 um u y I y R. E. BLAIR 2,570,511

APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING INSECTICIDES OR POLLEN Oct. 9, 1951 2 Sheets-Shea 2 @5 Filed May 22, 1946 1% 4! llll llLnHu n URL-HA.

lit 11 '1 1 A TTOQNE Y Patented Oct. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING INSECTICIDES OR IOLLEN Robert E. Blair, Wenatchee, Wash.

Application May 22', 1946, Serial No. 671,607

This invention relates to an apparatus for distributing insecticides or pollen. It is more generally concerned with apparatus for spreading 'or distributing any of the various finely divided materials used in dusting trees, shrubs, etc. for pollenization, insect control, and other purposes, such materials being collectively referred to hereinafter as spray-dusts or simply as dust. The present application is in part a continuation of my co-pending application Serial No. 557,529, filed October 6, 1944 (now abandoned).

Because of the frequency with which fruit trees for example are spray-dusted each season with insecticides for the control of insects, and more recently, with pollen to assure adequate pollenization, or hormone preparations to delay the dropping of the fruit, it is desirable that there be provided simple and inexpensive apparatus which can be used by the fruit grower for any or all of these purposes. I I

A primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved apparatus for distributing spray-dusts whereby the dust can be lifted to a desired altitude to form a colloidal suspension in the air so that the particles thereof will be carried by air currents to the desired location. Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus of simple and inexpensive construction for efiiciently and effectively disseminating spray-dusts.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein there are disclosed certain preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

' Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view showing one means of employing the apparatus of the present invention, a

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of one form of apparatus of the invention,

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device show in Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a construction detail,

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of a modifica- 6 Claims. (Cl. 47-1) tion of the apparatus of the present invention,

, 2 V Having reference now to Figs. 1-5 of the draw? ings the dust projecting apparatus there illus-. trated is generally indicated at In and comprises a base block portion llhaving a centrally disposed, circular, upstanding flange portion l2 with a cup-shaped depression l3 therein. The base may be of wood or metal or any other suitable material. Secured about circular portion 12 is a sleeve l4, preferably of cardboard or similar material, whichsleeve is suitably secured to the circular portion l2 of block H as by a wire I5 engaging a peripheral groove formed at the base of the sleeve and in the base of circular portion l2. Wire I5 is secured in related assembly about the sleeve 14 as by a twisted portionlfih A suitable bore 11 extends through sleeve: [4 and;fiange portion 12 in the-cup-shaped depressionlii and is adapted to contain-a fuse l8. Cup-shaped depression I3 is adapted toybe filled with a suitable charge of explosive material 20 such as gunpowder after which there is positioned thereover a sheet 2| of frangible material, such as cellophane or the like. A desirable charge of explosive has been found to be one ounce of gun powder for each pound of spraydust including any inert carrier per twenty feet of initial lift.

The upper receptacle or sleeve I4 is then filled with a suitable dusting material 22 of the desired type, which, if desired, may be mixed with other ingredients as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter. The material 22 is covered with a sheet 23 of any suitable material. Various types of spray-dusts may be utilized, either in powdered, dry or wet applications. When dry materials are utilized it is found that if they are mixed with a proper carrier, such as hydrated lime or talc, the relative dissemination may be increased. In wet applications which may include oil as an adhesive, a solution of the com sistency of paste has been found desirable.

If desired, a guide member, or separator 24 as shown in Fig. 6 may be inserted .in the sleeve 14 to separatev the charge into a plurality of portions and to aid in the dissemination thereof. vAfter the spray-dust charge has been placed in the sleeve Meitherwith or without the separator 24, the cover 23 is placed thereover. The fuse [8, having been inserted through the bore [1 into the cup-shaped depression I3 and con-. tact made with the powder charge 20, is then lit, whereupon the resultant explosion lifts the dust to the desired height, in accordance with the powder charge, causing the material to ,be thoroughly dispersed. The air currents and clusive, is preferred from the standpoint of cost and simplicity of construction and is particula y d sig d be u p o the fru t, rower charged except for the insecticide, pollen, or hormone which is to be added as required by the The device illustrated in Figs. 7 9 which may be made almost entirely of cardboard qr 'equiva,-.--

lent fibrous sheet material, comprises a container including a cylindrical wall portion 3i, corresponding in part to sleeve M of the device shown in Figs. 1-5, and a flanged base 32, the flange 33 of which extends a substantial dis.-.. tance upward along the; outside of the wall 3i and is adhesively secured thereto. A suitable ap ture 36 is provid extendin tbmush th flange 33 and wall 3|. adiac nt 1 DQQ' QQX Q? the. container and is adapted 120.. leceiye one end of a fuse 34 and the, protective tube; 35, for the fuse. The fuse tube 35 may be made of; one or two thicknesses of paper and is sufiieiently flexible that the end thereof inserted through aperture 36 andextendi g a. substantia (115E1 into the container will effectively seal. the, aper-. ture 36 before and during. the ignition of the charge of explosive material 3.8 Lila-c. 911. the bottom of the container. The exposed length of the fuse tube 35 is adapted to be folded up? wardly along the side of the container 31 and then downwardly upon itself as shown in Fig, "l where it is secured by. means of. the, paperwrapper 39 to form a compact. unit. Suitable instruction, etc. can of course. he. printed on the wrapper 3.9.. A relatively heavy dis 4.0, ever;- lying the base 32 serves, to. reinforce the latter thereby to prevent the downward dissipation of the energy of the explosive char e. .01 i il iQB thereof.

After the container has. been char ed with, the material 38, there is positioned thereoyer apart r tion or diaphragm 4| which preferablysnugly engages the inner surface. of the. cylindrical wall 3| and divides the. container into a lower chem? her for the explosive material and an. u per chamber which, as the device is furnished to. the user, will ordinarily be filled or partly filled with an inert spreader dust 4.3; such as; talc, lime, corn-.- starch, wheat flour, or. other powdered inert car-. rier held in place by a removable cover 42, The user can then remove the cover, add the partisan-.- lar insecticide, pollen, or other active material indicated at 4.4 which is to. be sprayed onto, the trees after which the cover is replaced, the wrap: per 39 slit to expose the fuse. 34' and the apparar. tus properly positioned relative to. the tree or trees to be sprayed after which the fuse is lit so that the resultant explosion of the material 3.8 lifts and disperses the spray-dust in the manner described hereinbefore.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there is herein provided a'type of apparatus fordis-.- seminating spray-dust, which is of simple and inexpensive construction andwhichaccomplishes all the stated objects of this invention-and others including manyadvantages. or great practical utility and commercial importance.

As other embodiments may: be made of this in ventive concept and a many modifications may be made in the embodiments hereinbeforedescribed and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for use in disseminating spraydust comprising a block, a circular upstanding portion on said block having a cup-shaped depression therein and a, bore, communicating with said depression, 1 a diaphragm covering said cup, a sleeve surrounding said circular portion, a wire retaining ring securing said sleeve to said circular portion, said sleeve havin an aperture therein aligned with said bore, and a frangible cover for said sleeve.

2; Apparatus of the class described comprising a base member having an upwardly extending annular flange, a cylindrical member secured to said base member, a diaphragm disc within said member dividing the interiorinto an upper dust chamer'ami a lo e chamber t a charge. Oi exp ite mater al. a i ned o nings said an; member d said. flan e i. sa b e memheii it its: ex ending .thr u h sa d a snedQmiii s e end. ois idi i e erminat n w th...

ower chamber.-.

3.. Apparatus. oi the. class. escribed. qqmer siiis a. ha emember ha in pwar ly extend ng n ar flange, c l nd ical membe ha ing. one nd sec red. o. said dense of a d base mem ea a ersel extend ng d aphra disc W hin said. cy indr cal. .inei ber div d ng. he. inter her of. to. arge le er chamb r a, rem b e q esur in 131 911. th bt er end, of. said; ylind ca 9. ligned o enings, aid r ins riq member and a flange a ss ex t din hro h said. eni ss h in er eiid DQ 32 3 f. sa d was t rm nat ng in 531 lq er nd e flang f sa d base mem r a s us e =J tending therethrough into said container, the portion of said fuse outside of said container ex}, tending longitudinally thereof, a label wrapper extending circumferentially of said container, said wrapper extending over said fuse and securing said fuse against the outer surface of said con-f in 5. A device for pollination of trees comprising a cylindrical member, a base having an annular fl n e fixedly secu ed. to ne end o s i mem er a removable, diaphragm disc extending trans-f, verse y o sa d member and. d id n h sam into two c0mpar pQWder charge-con tained i one of said ompartm ts ne dj ce said base, a dry, finely divided powder i cluding; a q anti y of polle iii-the second 9 s i 9i partments, a removable; cover for the end; of said m b pposite said base, and f s means. t i iti s d p r char e ex endin throu h said flange and said cylindrical mfimber, the, inner end of said fuse means terminatingiri the powder charge containing compartment...

6. Apparatus of the. class. described comprising a-cylindrical wall member, a base. member having an annular cylindrical flange. adhesively secured to one end ofsaid wall member, a relatively heavy reinforcing disc overlying said base member, the.

peripheral edge of said disc fitting snugly against the inner wall of said cylindrical member, a removable cover for the end of said cylindrical wall member opposite said base member, an imperforate partition disc extending transversely of said cylindrical member and fitting snugly against the inner wall thereof, said partition disc being spaced from said reinforcing disc to define a chamber for holding a charge of explosive material, a pair of aligned apertures in the cylindrical wall memher and the flange of said base member communicating with said chamber, a fuse extending in a snugly fitting relation through said apertures, the inner end of said fuse terminating in said chamber, the outer end portion of said fuse bein folded against the outer surface of said cylindrical wall member, and a label wrapper extending around the outside of said cylindrical wall member and securing said fuse thereagainst.

ROBERT E. BLAIR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Rogers Apr. 12, 1910 Hull Sept. 23, 1924 Ferraguti Mar. 3, 1925 Mofiet Dec. 9, 1930 Collins Apr. 19, 1932 Huffman Jan. 21, 1936 Patton July 20, 1943 Antles Nov. 11, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Country 7 Date Great Britain Nov. 4, 1935 Great Britain July 16, 1936 OTHER REFERENCES Intern. Sugar J., vol. 22 (1920) p. 310. Nat. Pecan Assoc. Bul, v01 31 (1933), p. 84. 

